Ball game device with annular pocketed trough



April 26, 1949. J. D. NAGEL ET AL BALL GAME DEVICE WITH ANNULAR POCKETED THOUGH Filed July 23, 1946 2 Shets-Sheet 1 C O m D s n Walter Lla ng fm fl' April 26, J, D, NAGEL ET AL 1 BALL GAME DEVICE WITH ANNULAR POCKETED TROUGH Filed July 23, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

FIG. 8

\A -Wa/Er Lon QVKMM Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALL GAME DEVICE WITH ANNULAR POCKETED TROUGH John D. Nagel and Walter Lang, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 23, 1946, Serial No. 685,602

2 Claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a novel and useful miniature bowling game which can be placed on a table and operated by whirling the device.

We attain the objects of our invention by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a, front elevation of same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of same;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fi 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on a line concentric with the periphery of the device;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on a portion of line 44' of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on a portion of line 66 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan view of an alternative form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation of the base of the device showing an annular score-board, a portion being broken away; and

Fig. 10 is a detail section on a plane concentric with the periphery of the device showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

Like numerals designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we provide a miniature bowling pin I aflixed to the center of the tray 2 for use in tilting the tray to play the game. The tray 2 is extended to form an annular trough having a vertical inner rim 3 and an upwardly curved bottom wall 4 on which the ball 8 may roll. The bottom wall 4 has a series of spaced radial depressions 5 in any of which the ball 8 may be retarded or may come to rest. The curved bottom wall 4 of the annular trough terminates in an annular outer rim 6. The annular trough formed by walls 3 and 4 is enclosed by a transparent covering 1 which may be glass or a plastic. Mounted on the annular outer rim of the tray I provide an annular scoreboard 9, as shown in Fig. 9.

In playing the game, when the tray 2 and the integral trough consisting of members 3 and 4 is tipped or revolved, the ball 8 will roll and stop in one of the ten numbered radially spaced depressions 5, as shown in Fig. l. A particular depression in which the ball stops determines the score of the player, the final score being obtained after ten rolls of the ball. The space used for the ball and the curved bottom wall 4 of the tray are enclosed by a transparent covering 1 of plastic or glass. The outer rim of the tray is covered with a score-board of plastic material, permitting of erasing all pencil markings with a cloth or even with bare fingers. The miniature upright bowling pin 1 in the center of the tray enables the player to conveniently tip the tray and roll the ball.

Scoring is very similar to tenpin bowling. Each player receives two rolls in each frame. As in tenpin bowling, if the ball stops on the numeral ID the first try, the player is awarded a strike.

Each player has two chances for a spare; that is, if the ball stops on any number under 10 the second ball must stop on the number to aggregate the necessary pins to make 10; and the player may also be awarded a spare if the second roll falls on a ll) pin. If a spare is recorded after the first two tries, ten points are added to the number of pins secured on the next one thrown. Likewise if a strike is recorded after the first try, ten points are added to the total pins of the next two throws.

What we claim is:

1. In a miniature bowling game, a tray provided with a centrally located depression and an inclined peripheral wall, an annular trough between said central depression and inclined wall, said trough including a bottom surface curved transversely of the trough and an upright inner wall adjacent said central depression, a ball movable within said trough, a series of spaced depressions marked with varying game indicia in said trough, a transparent cover over said trough adapted to retain said ball therein, and a, simulated bowlin pin rigidly secured within said central depression and extending upwardly to serve as a handle whereby angular or rotative movement of said simulated bOWlil'lg pin will result in chance movement of said ball between the spaced depressions.

2. In a miniature bowling game a tray provided with a centrally located depression and an inclined peripheral wall, an annular trough between said central depression and inclined wall, said trough including a bottom surface curved transversely of the trough and an upright inner wall adjacent said-central depression, a ball movable within said trough, a series of spaced depressions marked with varying game indicia in said trough, a transparent cover over said trough adapted to retain said ball therein, said cover including an inclined peripheral wall adapted to frictionally engage the peripheral wall of the tray, and a simulated bowling pin rigidly secured within said central depression and extending upwardly to serve as a, handle whereby angular 0r rotative movement of said simulated bowling pin will result in chance movement of said ball between the spaced depressions.

JOHN D.. NAGEL. WALTER LANG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 622,152 Huggins et a] Mar. 28, 1899 1,074,816 Randall Oct. 7, 1913 16 

